Category: Match Report

DOVER ATHLETIC 0 HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH 3

Dover are undone by a tidy Hampton and Richmond outfit.

It was a pretty even first 45 minutes here at Crabble with both sides spurning a decent chance each to take the lead but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time.

George Nikaj, still looking for his first goal since his return from his loan spell at Ashford, nodded a cross against the foot of the post in the 11th minute. That goal is just not coming for the young forward who is not getting the rub of the green in front of goal.

Hampton and Richmond had a couple of good chances themselves with Jake Goodman coming to the rescue with a timely block on the edge of the six yard box. Moments later and Jordan Thomas looked to have made enough ground at the far past but the cross just evaded him.

Visiting skipper Jake Gray blazed over in the 33rd minute from the edge of the penalty area when a little composure would have been the order of the day. Gray was in the thick of it again when in the last minute of stoppage time, Gray fired a shot past Stuart Nelson after the Whites goalkeeper had made a cracking save with his legs moments earlier. But it was all in vain as the hosts headed down the tunnel 1-0 down.

On the hour a slip from the Hampton defender enabled a cross from Paxman to find Ajayi but his control and shot was well blocked in a last ditch effort to keep the score line at 0-1.

Moments later and Jake Gray nearly doubled his and his teams tally with a dinked effort over Nelson which only found the side netting. With the Whites looking to force an equaliser, the hosts were starting to exploit the gaps left at the back.

In the 67th minute, that man Gray did manage to find the net. After a long ball through to Kurran-Browne, who looked to have been offside, he neatly played the ball back into the path of Gray who fired a low shot into the far bottom corner to give Hampton and Richmond breathing space.

Despite the setback, the Whites poured forward in the hope of making the last quarter of the game a contest. In the 73rd minute, Noah Carney’s spin and shot was wildly over the crossbar with the goal beckoning for the young forward.

With seven minutes left of normal time, Gray thought he was taking home the match ball when his effort beat Nelson, only to go narrowly wide, with half the ground thinking the ball was in.

Substitute David Fisher wrapped things up for the visitors in the 88th minute when he raced onto a through ball and placed his shot into Nelson’s bottom corner. 0-3

It was a wretched day for the Whites who are now only eight points clear of the drop zone. Hampton and Richmond leapfrogged us with that win, dropping us one place down to 15th in the table.

The lads will look to bounce back next week at St Albans and end this winless streak. We hope to see you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Moses, Goodman, Sterling, Wanadio, Wilkinson, Pierrick, Baptiste, Nikaj

Subs: Janjeva, Boateng, Carney, Ajayi, Agbebi

Hampton & Richmond Borough: Julian, Donaldson, Inman, Fernandez, Whittingham, Gray, Kurran-Browne, Deadfield, Clifton, Dunne, Thomas

Subs: Barzey, Fisher, Johnson, Comley, Davis

Attendance: 605

CHIPPENHAM TOWN 3 DOVER ATHLETIC 1

Whites fall to the Bluebirds

Dover travelled west again in a hope to put right the defeat on Tuesday night, only to come unstuck on a pitch that resembled that of Melbourne primary school. (If you know, you know)

Mitch Brundle’s Whites couldn’t get out of second gear despite equalising in the opening moments of the second half.

Dover had an abundance of chances in the first period with Wanadio and Higgs both testing Will Henry in the hosts goal. Luke Wanadio should of opened the scoring when put clean through, only for Henry to rush out and save smartly. The Whites had plenty of the ball and played some good football up the hill and could have gone ahead but for some smart goalkeeping to keep the scores level.

Then in the 22nd minute, Chippenham broke down Dover’s right and shot across Nelson who could only parry the ball out into the path of Joe Parker, who slotted home for the Bluebirds.

Dover hit back almost immediately after the restart when a corner was played short along the ground to Myles Judd, who lashed the ball of the underside of the crossbar and into the far corner of the net. All of a sudden momentum was with visitors as the Whites poured forward down the slope. There was a flurry of attacks immediately after the equaliser but the hosts stood firm as Dover huffed and puffed to try and find a breakthrough.

With Dover piling forward to try and force a breakthrough, Chippenham broke and with the ball on the right flank, crossed for Fasanmade to head home from close range. It was a real sucker punch for the visitors who had began to gain momentum on the home side.

Again the Whites poured forward in search of an equaliser, leaving huge holes in behind which in the 80th minute, Owen Windsor swept home from a cross to send the home fans into a conga behind Nelson’s goal. Dover had been well and truly humbled in the last 20 minutes and the conditions hadn’t helped the legs after a long journey from the south coast.

The midweek games are over for a while now so the lads have a weeks rest between games. See you at Crabble next week.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Goodman, Sterling, Higgs, Martin, Wilkinson, Wanadio, Pierrick, Carney

Subs: Agbebi, Brundle, Moses, Janjeva, Baptiste

Chippenham Town: Henry, Jones, Richards, D’Abadia, Mehew, McClure, Fasanmade, Bray, Tizzard, Parker, Russe

Subs: Simpson, Windsor, Hanks, Bradbury, Kouisseoue

Attendance: 565

DOVER ATHLETIC 0 CHESHUNT 3

Cheshunt stun the River End with a scrappy win.

It was a freezing cold Crabble on this Tuesday evening but the Whites soon raised the temperature with a first half performance that was everything but a goal.

The luck really hasn’t been with the home side in front of goal of late and the opening 45 minutes followed in the same form.

After the opening ten minutes, Brandon Pierrick hit a daisy cutter along the floor which looked easy pickings for Adam Desbois, only for the visiting keeper to fluff his lines and fumble behind for a corner.

Moments later and Pierrick again jinxed his way into the Cheshunt box, only to see his fierce shot crash down off the underside of the crossbar and away for safety. The forward must have thought he had opened his account for his new club.

Lee Martin had provided two delicious balls into the penalty area, one of which looked destined to land on Higgs toe, but the Cheshunt defence plucked it from the midfielders boot when it looked like Dover would open the scoring. From the resulting corner, Martin again teased the Cheshunt backline with an arcing cross that was clawed away from Desbois with Sterling about to nod home.

The home side had a flurry of crosses which seemed to cause panic in the visitors box but the second ball just wouldn’t fall to anyone in a white shirt. A common theme of late. The visitors had barely tested Nelson, who saved smartly early In the half when Alfie Cue wriggled free to shoot low into the Dover stoppers grasp.

It was another blank in the opening 45 minutes for Brundle’s charges but it definitely wasn’t for the want of trying.

Seven minutes into the second half and Dover’s long clean sheet record was broken, completely against the run of play. Zech Obeiro’s shot seemed to squirm under the body of Nelson and into the net.

Dover looked to hit back through both Pierrick and Ajayi with both failing to hit the target when it looked easier to score. Pierrick with the easiest of the two chances who blazed over when composure was needed.

Cheshunt were still looking to hit the Whites on the break and in the 78th minute, Fraser Alexander made Dover pay for all the missed chances with a volley that shot past Nelson and into the bottom corner.

It was a real sucker punch Dover who were pushing hard for an equalising goal. Cheshunt had been clinical, albeit the opening goal was more luck than judgement.

In the 87th minute Cheshunt put the game to bed with a headed goal by Josh Popoola when it looked like the visiting forward was offside, but alas, the assistant referee kept his flag down.

If ever there was a game of two halves, it was definitely this. The team needs to dust themselves down and get ready for Chippenham on Saturday.

See you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Sterling, Moses, Higgs, Wanadio, Martin, Nikaj, Ajayi, Pierrick

Subs: Wilkinson, Carney, Agbebi, Baptiste, Janjeva

Cheshunt: Desbois, Cracknell, Pitblado, Hobbs, McKenzie, Da Silva Beccles Richards, Camara, Cue, Ekongo, Maja

Subs: Thompson, Popoola, Obiero, Alexander, Edwards

Attendance: 482

DOVER ATHLETIC 1 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 0

Another clean sheet for super Mitch’s side.

Dover looked to have brought their form from Saturday after a blistering opening few minutes saw both a penalty shout turned down and an effort by George Nikaj get bundled wide.

Skipper Lee Martin was injured during the warm up and was replaced by Luke Baptiste, who set up alongside Freddie Oliver in the heart of the midfield, who continued where he left off last week. Oliver was unfortunate to be booked early on for what was an early reducer but the referee was having none of it.

It was Nikaj who looked the more likely to threaten the score board when he hit the back of the net after the ball ricocheted back off the post, only for the offside flag to ruin his post goal celebration.

Moments later it was another chance for the forward who took a ball beautifully on his chest while facing his own goal, swivelled, but only managed to hit his shot into the floor. It wasn’t for the want of trying from Nikaj who had showed desire and endeavour but had nothing yet for his efforts.

Havant managed to weather the early storm and gradually grew into the game, showing attacking promise through ex Dover full back, Josh Passley.

Danny Wright blazed over in the 10th minute when he really should have done better but besides the odd flurry of attacks, The Whites seemed to have the visitors at arms length as the two teams went into the break level at half time.

On the hour mark, the visitors were given a reprieve when Miller-Rodney clattered Oliver, having been booked just minutes earlier. The referee didn’t see the incident but the Havant man should of been heading for an early shower.

Moments later and Nikaj’s race was run after he was left in a heap on the floor. The Whites were going to have to be creative in the last 20 minutes of the match with both central midfield players missing in Higgs and Martin and now Nikaj coming off.

The injuries were beginning to wrack up for Brundle as Freddie Oliver followed Nikaj to the physio’s room, limping off to be replaced by Will Moses.

Luke Wanadio missed the win on Saturday due to illness but he didn’t miss the Havant goal in the 79th minute. Wanadio played a ball through the Carney whose cross found Ajayi in the middle. His shot was straight into the body of Sharman-Lowe, only for the ball to bounce back out into the path of Wanadio who fired into the net.

Havant huffed and puffed as they looked for an equaliser but the Whites held on to record another three points on the board. It was the third clean sheet in as many games and 11 points from 15. Brundle’s army marches once more.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Goodman, Sterling, Wanadio, Ajayi, Nikaj, Pierrick, Oliver, Martin

Subs: Moses, Carney, Agbebi, Baptiste, Brundle

Havant & Waterlooville: Sharman-Lowe, Passley, Newton, Oastler, McCarthy, Kealy, Miller-Rodney, Collins, Gobern, Wright, Shroll

Subs: Nembhard, Rooney, Roberts, Burnett, Matthews

Attendance: 422

TAUNTON TOWN 0 DOVER ATHLETIC 1

Dover head back to Crabble with all three points.

It was a first half that Dover seemed to dominate with possession but unfortunately couldn’t find that killer pass.

The home side forced a flurry of corners in the opening stages but Dover defended any balls into the box well. It was a strange half in the respect that the home team were playing like the away side and trying to catch Dover on the break, which were few and far between.

The first shot of the game came in the 24th minute. Dylan Morgan shot straight down the throat of Nelson who never broke sweat in the opening 45 minutes.

Seconds later and Jordan Higgs hit an identical shot to Morgan which was easily claimed by Irish in the Taunton goal.

In the 42nd Martin, Lee Martin was fouled after some lovely footwork from the skipper had enable him to evade two challenges before a cynical foul from Lee Lucas drew the first booking from the referee. Martin took the resulting free kick himself and bent the ball inches over the crossbar.

Dover had played well but were heading into the break level. We were still waiting for the debutant to burst into life. Pierrick had shown flashes on the ball but it’s never easy coming straight into a new side and system.

Minutes after the restart and the debutant broke down line before a fizzer from Judd forced a smart save from Irish in the home goal. Dover had begun the half in emphatic fashion and were looking the team more likely to break the deadlock.

Just ten minutes later and the Whites were celebrating. Pierrick again breaking down the right hand side, crossing into the feet of George Nikaj who set the ball back into the path of Jordan Higgs, who fired past Irish to send the travelling contingent wild. It was everything that Dover deserved for their possession and build up play.

The home side rallied but despite their best efforts, couldn’t force Dover into any mistakes. The referee must have brought some new cards this week and was determined to use them as he starting flashing them around as the game started to get scrappy.

Dover looked like they could of extended their lead midway through the half when Josh Ajayi broke through. Ajayi had George Nikaj square of the winger who tried to play in his teammate only for the Taunton defender to get a block in when it looked like Ajayi should of been a little more selfish.

The Whites did manage to get the ball in the net for a second time through Luke Baptiste but it was ruled offside after Ajayi had flicked the ball past Irish. It wasn’t clear if the ball would of ended in the net but Baptiste made sure and the linesman raised his flag.

Like last week, the back four had held firm and it was a well deserved clean sheet with all four defenders worthy of honourable mentions. Freddie Oliver looked like a player who had been playing first team football for ages with a very confident dispaly in the middle of the pitch.

Taunton were hot on the tail of Dover with games in hand but this result will ensure that those games will mean a little more for the peacocks.

Dover are definitely looking up after that performance and long may it continue. Enjoy your weekend, all.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Goodman, Sterling, Higgs, Martin, Oliver, Ajayi, Nikaj, Pierrick

Subs: Moses, Agbebi, Brundle, Baptiste, Carney

Taunton Town: Irish, Foulston, Grimes, Wannell, James, McCootie, Guest, Smith, Sims-Burgess, Morgan, Lucas

Subs: Ball, Stearn, Chamberlain, Evans

Attendance: 787

DOVER ATHLETIC 0 CHELMSFORD CITY 0

Whites draw blank as Chelmsford prove a tough nut to crack.

Dover began the first half like they ended the last game, on the front foot. Within a minute Josh Ajayi had warmed the hands of Ed Beach in the Chelmsford goal with a side footed volley that the visiting keeper did well to push away.

Tyrone Sterling had hearts in mouths moments later when a pass back to Stuart Nelson had the Dover stopper scrambling back to his line to clear with the visiting support behind the goal cheering as they thought it had crossed the line. It was a real let off for the Whites.

In the 13th minute, Jordan Higgs nearly opened the scoring when he tried to bundle the ball over the line after a volleyed cross by Wanadio seemed to evade everyone in the six yard box.

Minutes later and Jack Paxman shot agonisingly wide of the post after twisting and turning away from his marker. The Whites had been pushing hard for the opener and they thought had it on the half hour mark.

With neat build up play on the edge of the Chelmsford penalty area, the ball finally made its way to George Nikaj who’s first time shot looped over the stranded Beach, only for the ball to come back off the crossbar. Lee Martin reacted the quickest to head into the net but the celebrations were cut short as the flag was raised for offside.

Ajayi and Wanadio were terrorising their full backs and the latter fired over the crossbar after a cross by Ajayi. Dover certainly deserved more for their endeavour at the halfway stage.

It was a better opening of the second half than the first for the visitors with the away team showing a little more purpose. Khale Da Costa was acrobatic with an overhead kick that flashed wide as Chelmsford tried to get a foot hold in the match.

Jack Paxman went into the referee’s notebook after an accumulation of fouls and the resulting free-kick was fired straight into the body of Nelson. Arjanit Krasniqi was the next offender to be brandished a yellow card as the game began to get a little tetchy from both sides.

Dover still tried to play the way that the manager wanted and even though some of the passing was a little off, it was plain to see that there was a pattern of play in place.

Substitute Tom Blackwell nearly opened the scoring for the visitors but his shot was scuffed safely into the hands of Nelson when he really should have found the net. It was the first real scare for the Whites as Chelmsford looked to gain some momentum.

It wasn’t for the want of trying but it was just one of those days for Brundle’s side who just couldn’t maintain the high levels from the first half but it was a clean sheet and another positive performance.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Paxman A, Goodman, Higgs, Wanadio, Martin, Sterling, Nikaj, Ajayi, Paxman J, Boateng

Subs: Moses, Carney, Baptiste, Byford, Oliver

Chelmsford City: Beach, Barnum-Bobb, Trotter, Winfield, Jackson, Da Costa, Alfa, Grant, Terry, Brooke’s, Krasniqi

Subs: Marsden, James, Blackwell, Jones, Yila.

Attendance: 719

DOVER ATHLETIC 2 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH 1

The Brundle era is off and running after a superb home win.

There seems to be a theme at the moment with Dover games in that we keep conceding early on and this match was to be no different as Leone Gravata scored inside two minutes after a good ball in from the right.

Unlike the last few matches that the Whites had gone behind in, this time there was a higher sense of urgency in trying to get back into the game. Luke Wanadio weaved down the right hand side only for his cross to undo all his good work.

Midway through the first half and with Dover pressing, a breakdown in attack left a hole at the heart of the defence in which Eastbourne Boro exploited only for the quick thinking of Stuart Nelson, who spread himself superbly to deny the visitors extending their lead.

Josh Ajayi looked to have opened his account when he cut inside his man and curled a beautiful shot towards the far post, only for Lee Worgan to dive at full strength to push it around the post.

Ajayi was at the centre of it again when in the 29th minute his header from a corner hit the woodwork. Boro cleared their lines but Dover regained possession and a lovely ball back into the area was met by Tyrone Sterling. His header was super, beating the dive of the despairing Worgan.

Dover and in particular Jack Paxman were purring. It was a spirited performance and certainly worthy of going into the break level. The Whites had dominated the possession with some neat interplay trough the midfield with Higgs, Paxman and Martin all combining well.

It was Dover who started the second half the quicker out of the two teams with George Nikaj nipping in twice inside the early moments of the half but both efforts were denied by Worgan.

Ajayi had been unlucky in the first half but that was about to change on the hour when a quickly taken free-kick found the feet of Ajayi who spun round and bent his shot into the far top corner. It was a beautiful strike. Take a bow son.

It was a lead that Dover deserved as their play had been bold up until this point. But it was nearly taken away from them when a sweetly struck set piece was pushed onto the crossbar by Nelson, who was up quick enough to claim the rebound.

In the 75th minute and with the bit between his teeth, Ajayi flashed a shot over Worgan’s crossbar after neat play by Nikaj. It was a move that had started near the right back position and was well worked from back to front, carving through the opposition team.

The Ajayi Worgan saga continued with the ex Whites stopper again at full stretch to keep his side in the match. It was a superb save, diving down to his left to palm away the forwards curling effort.

In the end it was irrelevant as Dover held on to get the first three points of the Brundle era. It was a performance worthy of the win with Dover dominating large parts of the match. It’s the little building blocks in which the manager can now start putting together with his team but we are off and running.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Paxman A, Goodman, Sterling, Boateng, Martin, Higgs, Paxman J, Ajayi, Wanadio, Nikaj

Subs: Carney, Byford, Oliver, Baptiste, Agbebi

Eastbourne Borough: Worgan, Birchall, Innocent, Dickenson, Bartley, Perez, Walker, Bendle, Remy, Pearce, Gravata

Subs: Kastrati, Pitoula-Wabo, Bull, Houlter, Scarlett

Attendance: 629

DOVER ATHLETIC 0 WORTHING 3

Dover fall to defeat as play-off chasing Worthing taste victory.

Worthing began the brightest of the two sides, forcing two early corners as the Whites tried to settle into a rhythm. Dover managed to weather the storm with Josh Ajayi breaking the offside trap in the 5th minute to race onto a through ball, only for Harrison Male in the visiting goal to clear with his head.

The visitors took the lead inside ten minutes when a nod down in the box from Joel Colbran was neatly finished by Kane Wills. It had been coming with Worthing applying early pressure.

Dover looked to hit back immediately when a beautiful whipped free-kick by Martin on the right was met by Myles Judd, only for his header to sail over the bar and the linesman to raise his flag. Moments later and Worthing nearly doubled their lead when a cross on the left by Meekums evaded everyone including the far post. It was a let off for Dover who were looking a little shell shocked after the goal.

In the 18th minute, neat play between David Boateng and Josh Ajayi unlocked the Worthing defence, only to see Ajayi’s shot saved smartly by Male. Almost immediately it was the turn of the Dover goalkeeper to make a save when Nelson palmed away Oliver Pearce’s effort for a corner.

Ajayi looked the most likely to score last Saturday and he nearly opened his Dover account on 24 minutes when again Boateng linked up with the forward, only to see his effort graze the roof of the net.

A minute later and the Whites had a mountain to climb. Again Colbran doing the damage down the right with a superbly weighted slide pass into the path of Pearce who slotted into the bottom corner to double Worthing’s lead.

With Dover now chasing the game, Boateng, who had been teeing up Ajayi, decided to go on his own and arrowed a low drive across goal that Male seemed to get a finger too. From the resulting corner, that man again Colbran, headed off the line from under his own crossbar.

It was a flurry of corners for the visitors at the tail end of the first half that brought about some fine defending and a cracking save by Nelson, diving down to his near post. It was vital for Dover to not concede again before the break with the manager preparing his half time notes.

Dover never took their chances in the first period and it continued after the restart when Boateng fired tamely into the keepers hands from close range. At this point you are just thinking its going to need someone to score off their backside to break the goal drought.

George Wilkinson had entered the fray at half time and nearly halved the deficit when a curling shot was deflected wide for a corner. There were huge shouts from the home players who turned to the referee, only to see him pointing to the corner flag. It looked like a penalty but nothing doing.

Worthing began to apply some pressure of their own with a succession of corners causing chaos in the River End penalty area that Stuart Nelson was glad to claim at the second attempt.

And it was the River End again that was the centre of the action in the 70th minutes as Jake Goodman was deemed to have tripped Meekums In the penalty area which resulted in a spot kick and a red card for the Dover defender, for presumably being the last man. It was a harsh decision at a time when Dover were looking to take control. Kealy stepped up and struck the ball straight down the middle to put the visitors 3-0 up.

Alfie Pavey had replaced Josh Ajayi and nearly made an impact, cutting inside his man and forcing a smart save from Male who was largely a spectator in the second half.

Myles Judd was sticking to the cause with first a saving tackle when it looked like Worthing were about to score and secondly when he received a harshly given yellow card for what looked like a fair tackle on the halfway line.

With time ebbing away, Pavey again jinxed his way into the box, turning his defender inside out before unleashing a shot that was palmed away for a corner. It was a bright cameo from the substitute who was keen to get his name on the score sheet.

We were all keen for anyone to get on the scoresheet for the home team but for the third successive match it was not to be the case. The difference between the two sides was the fact that Worthing took their chances and we didn’t.

Slough away this Saturday will be another stern test. Hopefully we will see you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Sterling, Paxman A, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Carney, Ajayi, Paxman J, Boateng

Subs: Pavey, Wilkinson, Baptise, Byford, Oliver

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Livesay-Austin, Wills, Racine, Rodari, Chambers, Pearce, Kealy, Myles-Meekums

Subs: Bowry, White, Beresford, Akanbi, Thorn

Attendance: 566

A POINT ON THE ROAD AS THE WHITES DRAW BLANK

Whites fail to break the deadlock in a much improved performance away from home.

All three new signings were thrust straight into the starting eleven for Mitch Brundle’s side as the gaffer looked to make changes from the previous defeat. In came Jack Paxman, David Boateng and Josh Ajayi, replacing Alfie Pavey, Luke Baptiste and Luke Wanadio but it was the hosts who nearly took the lead in the opening minute when Charlee Hughes flashed wide when it looked easier to score.

Dover’s first real chance of the game came in the 9th minute when Carney delivered a lovely cross into Boateng, who’s first time shot was block away for a corner. Just four minutes later and debutant Paxman looked to have opened his Dover account from a direct free-kick only to see it edge past the post by a whisker, via a nick off the defending wall. It was a bright start from the Whites with lots early possession and plenty of neat passes.

However Hemel nearly took the lead in the 19th minute when a low cross from Elftheriou was sliced behind by Sterling with the subsequent corner being cleared to safety. In the 26th minute Dover really should have scored when Carney’s header came back off the bar from a lovely worked cross by Myles Judd. Dover looked to capitalise on the rebound but the referee blew for a foul on a defender.

Judd was in the mix again when he fired a long range effort on 33 minutes which was easily gathered by King in the Hemel Hempstead goal. With the half ticking to a close, a long ball over the backline by Judd was met by the run of Ajayi but the debutant fired narrowly wide. It was the last action of the half as both teams headed to the changing rooms with no goals to show for their efforts.

Ajayi had looked lively in the first half and should have opened the scoring early in the second after just one minute when he shot straight at the keeper instead of finishing when put through on goal. It was a huge chance for the Whites in a game in which we had controlled.

Noah Carney then broke the offside trap and rounded King in the Hemel goal but the angle was not ideal to shoot. Turning back into traffic, Carney slid the ball into the path of the lively Ajayi who’s shot was blocked by two defenders on the line.

The game had become quite stretched mid way through the half with both sides now playing on the counter. Kaylen Hinds shot low into the bottom corner but Nelson saved smartly to keep the scores at 0-0. Just moments later and it was Lee Martin who was warming the hands of King with a left footed shot.

With four minutes of injury time shown on the board, it was down to someone to try and make the headlines but the two teams couldn’t be split and the game was tied. The Whites had the best of the chances but goals pay the rent and unfortunately it wasn’t to be in terms of paying the landlord.

Dover looked a lot more positive in their play than against Tonbridge but only have a point to show for their efforts. It’s now two games without scoring but the chance to put that right comes in a couple of days at home to Worthing. 0-0 but a clean sheet.

The manager was disappointed not to take the three points but could see the positives from the performance. ‘I wanted to win the match but the team looked alot more hungry and I was pleased after Tuesday night. We could have won the game had Josh scored those chances but that will come. The new lads have barely had time to train with us but already I can see they will fit in well.’

We face Worthing on Tuesday at Crabble. See you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman A, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Sterling, Carney, Ajayi, Paxman J, Boateng

Subs: Wilkinson, Agbebi, Baptiste, Byford, Oliver

Hemel Hempstead Town: King, Eleftheriou, Williams, Poku, Westbrook, Ajayi, Hill, Young, Hughes, Castiglione, Hinds

Subs: Mukendi, Brown, Roberts, Holness, Kane

Attendance: 515

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 4 DOVER ATHLETIC 0

Dover continue their terrible record on artificial pitches with defeat in Tonbridge.

On a crisp night in Tonbridge it was the hosts who burst out of the traps the quickest. With just seven minutes on the clock Joe Turner scored to round off a neat move down Dover’s left hand side. The ball was won back in the midfield for Angels by Gard before a slide rule pass cut through Dover’s defence and Turner was in the middle waiting for the delivery which was straight into his path. The Angels midfielder took one touch, steadied himself and fired past Stuart Nelson in the Dover goal.

It could have been even worse for the Whites had Nelson not made a smart save in the third minute down to his near post. Dover looked to regain their composure after the early set back and began to string some neat passes together until the impressive Turner picked up a loose ball and sprinted down the right flank before bending in a superb cross for Jordan Greenidge to swoop down and header home. All of a sudden Mitch Brundle’s men had a mountain to climb after only fifteen minutes.

Dover’s first real chance of the game came in the 27th minute when Noah Carney dispossessed the Angels back line just inside his own half, driving towards the opposition goal and with just one defender to beat, found his shot block by the covering full back when it looked like he had already done the hard work. It was a positive sign for the Whites as Tonbridge had seemingly backed off to allow the away side to start to dominate possession with Jordan Higgs and Lee Martin getting on the ball and trying to make things happen.

Higgs was at the centre of it again, this time the saviour, clearing off his own line just moments before half time with Nelson well beaten. Heading in 2-0 down was going to be a slightly easier team talk for Brundle than 3-0 but nevertheless the gaffer’s first Vanarama South half time was going to need to be rousing one.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with the hosts nearly catching Dover cold with a rasping shot by Gard that just sailed over the crossbar. Myles Judd then took things into his own hands, bursting into the Angels penalty area and what looked like a simple ball back across the six yard box was instead fired into the side netting. It was a real sliding doors moment and would prove a costly decision as just seconds later Greenidge rounded Nelson to score his second of the night and Tonbridge Angels third.

With a flurry of substitutions made by both sides, Dover looked to get back into the tie. A neat cross by Alfie Paxman was headed straight into the hands of Henley by Martin but it was bread and butter for the home goalkeeper. At the other end, Nelson was again called into action when substitute Wood tried to beat the Dover custodian with the outside of his boot but the stopper was equal to it and pushed it away for a corner.

The gaffers philosophy with the team was clear to see with a possession based approach from Dover, who held the lion share of the ball in the second period but it was in the final third that the ball needed to be looked after and with the Whites trying to squeeze the game, Tonbridge, who were now playing on the counter attack, broke through the defence and in the final minute put the tie to bed with a neat finish by Wood.

The referee then signalled that the game was over and the home side had run out comfortable winners. A 4-0 defeat is not ideal but Rome wasn’t built in a day and we go again at the weekend when we travel to Hemel Hempstead. Better go and grab those shovels, lads.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Sterling, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Baptiste, Wanadio, Pavey, Carney

Subs: Wilkinson, Kandi, Agbebi, Byford, Driver

Tonbridge Angels: Henley, Fielding, Braham – Barrett, Parkinson, Miles, Gard, Greenidge, Turner, Hinds, Aransibia, Wagstaff

Subs: Swift, Wood, Gibb, Soares – Junior, Fagg

Attendance: 661